1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact assembly including a plurality of elongated contacts for use in electronic systems requiring large numbers of electrical connections between printed circuit boards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for a contact which is useful in systems requiring large numbers of electrical connections between printed wiring boards, known also as printed circuit boards, is well known. One problem incurred heretofore in attempting to make such connections is that of pin misalignment which can occur as a result of undesirable tolerance variation. Another problem is the inability to maintain contact normal force when variation in pin thickness occurs. Further, in assembling contacts into their associated housing, current practice is for the contacts to be pressed into an insulator to perfect an interference fit between contact and housing to hold the contact in place. This procedure compounds the problems noted regarding pin misalignment and thickness variability at least to the extent that such firmly held contacts provide very little, if any, compensation for misaligned pins and those having variable thickness.
It is highly desirable to provide a contact assembly which compensates for tolerance variation to thereby substantially reduce, if not eliminate, pin misalignment.
It is also desirable to provide a contact assembly which allows the maintaining of contact normal force notwithstanding any variation in pin thickness.
It is further desirable to provide a contact assembly which can be assembled without the need for an interference fit between each contact and its associated housing.